Mother's Perspective
by nyislandersgirl
Summary: "I never thought I would ever see my son be so gentle. But now, I can see a side of Ash that is so different from anything else that I've ever seen." Delia watches her son in secret, and observes brand new aspects of her son that are both surprising and comforting. One shot.


**Hello everyone! I decided to try a little something different with this one. It's from the POV of Delia, who I've always loved as a character and have always wanted to delve more into. So...I gave it a go :)**

**Friendly reminder that I don't own Pokémon or any of the characters, except for Aiden and Michelle. I do own those two little cuties :P**

* * *

**Mother's Perspective**

I never thought I would ever see my son be so gentle.

He was a sweet boy, by nature, and had always been kind. He'd been a little rough as a child, but what little boys weren't? It wasn't his fault he'd like to play in the mud and the dirt, tracking it all over the house only before throwing his toys against the walls, down the stairs, or at easy and fragile targets such as lamps and picture frames.

But now, as I stand in the kitchen, peering secretly through the open door frame into the living room where he sits with his newborn children, I can see a side of Ash that is so different from anything else that I've ever seen.

He leans into both basinets, checking on each child to make sure they're still breathing…or real. It made me want to giggle, just slightly, because it was so cute. I could see the worry on his face. He was so paranoid about everything that involved those two tiny beings. He wanted everything to be perfect for them. Anything less was unacceptable, and it made him nervous. They didn't know any better, of course. They were by far the tiniest babies I'd ever seen. The truth of the matter was I was worried about them too, only because they were so small and had been born rather early. But they seemed fine. My little granddaughter was a bit weak; her breathing shallow and labored. I could see the pain on Ash's face when he checked on her. He wanted her to be a strong little baby, like her brother was. I know he never thought she could ever turn out like this. She'd always been the smaller baby, from the time Misty was still pregnant with them (which, in retrospect, had only been about a week and a half ago) but that never stopped Ash from believing his little girl was a strong one. Misty had told him so, too, that Michelle would be a strong little girl. Because she had felt it. No one could blame them for being wrong. Besides, I still believed that Michelle was a strong baby. We all did; we all knew that she'd be able to overcome this problem.

Misty was another story. Another side to Ash's sweet, gentle touch that I was so enamored by. He left the babies, but I knew it would only be for a short time. He couldn't bear to be separated from them for any longer than a few minutes. It hurt him too much. Instead, he was temporarily turning away from the newborns to check on his wife, who I believed was sleeping. I couldn't tell, because her back was to me. She was lying in front of the fireplace, on top of a collection of blankets Ash and I had gathered to make a temporary bed. Misty was so very weak from giving birth; weaker than most women. But she was very tough, and very strong, and Ash and I both knew that she would be back to her normal self in no time.

Ash was now kneeling down beside her, rubbing the young woman's side and watching her with wide eyes. She shuffled slightly, and I saw his lips move slowly. He was murmuring to her. I couldn't read his lips, because he was speaking too softly. I could see her shoulders hunch in, her head bowing down closer to her chest. She was curling herself up more tightly, desperately beneath the blankets. Ash leaned down a little further, this time so he could wrap his arms around her and whisper in her ear. This seemed to do the trick; her body visibly relaxed and her head came up from her chest. I continued to watch as Ash played with her fiery red hair, still whispering to her and still engulfing her in a hug. She probably felt so safe now. Ash had that effect on people, especially the ones he loved and held dearest.

He had been such a small little boy. Not a little _baby_, mind you. Especially compared to his own children. But as a child, it had taken him quite some time to hit his growth spurt, and he had been shorter than most children his age. He'd even been shorter than Misty for the longest time. It had always burned him up, and as terrible as it sounded, I would just giggle. I thought it was cute, and I'd always assure him that one day, he'd be taller than her.

Of course I'd been right.

Now Ash was fairly tall; he certainly towered above me. Misty was a rather tall girl herself, but she was still shorter than Ash. Noticeably so. And he was strong, too. I could never get over how strong he'd truly become. He had muscles…_a lot _of muscles. Ash had those kind of strong arms that made you feel so safe when you were wrapped in them. It must have been why he held Misty so often. It had always been hard for her to feel safe, to feel wanted. Being in Ash's arms took care of all of those things.

Misty finally lifted her head; just slightly. It was enough for me to see her eyes, the bright emerald orbs that Ash so loved. He went on and on about them, how beautiful they were and how perfect they were for _his _Misty.

His Misty. He was so possessive.

Seeing those eyes made me happy as well, though. Even if Misty's body and even her mind was weak from everything it had been through over the past eight months, those eyes still shone good and bright. She was a wonderful girl, perfect for my son. My smile only grew as I watched Ash take her lips with his, kissing her so lovingly. He rubbed her back, sinking down further into the blankets in order to lie down next to his beautiful wife. Even with his back to me, I could tell they were still kissing. I loved Ash, but he wasn't very subtle when it came to Misty. They were still young, and I know they were married and had children now, but it was still young love. Those two are always all over each other. I felt bad, but I knew I had to go in there and put an end to it. Ash was going to kill the poor girl.

Putting the dishes I had been so busily cleaning down in the soapy sink, I toweled off my hands and stepped softly into the living room, watching my son's back with curious but intense eyes. His shoulders were falling forward, his head closer to Misty's with every passing second. He was fine, but I could see Misty's body beginning to shake.

"Ash, you're going to wear Misty out even more if you keep that up."

Shamelessly, his head fell back, and he stared up at me with those wide, innocent, chocolate brown eyes that I myself loved so much. It was amazing that such a strong, fully grown man could still possess such a childlike face.

"She's okay, Mom," he reasoned with me. "I protect my Misty."

There we go with the _"my Misty"_ again. He really was just so stingy.

"Well, _your _Misty is awfully tired, and rightfully so," I scolded him gently. "Besides, those babies are going to have to eat sooner or later."

"Aww, I want my little babies," Misty smiled warmly, her voice coming out rough and feeble.

And then that need overcomes Ash again. I know I won't be able to get anywhere near those precious grandbabies of mine. Instead, he jumps to his feet. So fast that I think it's almost inhumanly possible to be so fast. But he is, and he hurries over to the bassinets as if someone has taken the infants between when he last looked at them and gone to comfort his lovely wife. I was, however, able to walk over and look at the little things.

Each one looked so much like their perspective parent; Aiden a little Ash, and Michelle a tiny Misty. Looking at Aiden made me feel like I was gazing at a newborn Ash all over again. It did seem, however, that the black haired baby had his mother's nose. His eyes were screwed shut, but he was starting to mewl. It was a hungry cry, I knew that for sure.

"He needs to eat, Ash," I gently informed my son. "That's what he wants."

Nodding, Ash lifted the boy out of his bassinet as gently as possible. The baby lay along his arm, tiny head resting in his father's much larger hand. The tiny thing's eyes were still shut tight, but his cries were growing stronger, and his arms were beginning to flail.

"Misty, can you handle nursing?" I asked, my voice full of worry. I didn't want her to think I was questioning her ability to be a mother, or even her inner strength. I just didn't want the poor thing to overwork herself any more than she already had.

Fortunately, Misty understood I meant no harm and nodded slowly. "Yes. I want to. I want to bond with him."

Ash threw a smile at me, to which I giggled softly and nodded my own head. He moved closer to Misty and knelt down, placing the whimpering baby boy in front of her. She was still on her side, but I could see her moving the boy closer to her, and maneuvering a few things around. After a short moment of readjusting, the boy was completely silent, and I knew that meant Misty had given him exactly what he wanted.

"Ash…" Misty beckoned, her voice soft.

Obediently, my son jumped down beside his wife and began to cuddle her once again, curling up against her back as he craned his head over her arm, obviously watching their young son nurse.

I just smiled at the scene, feeling so happy for both my son and daughter-in-law. Yes, the last few months had been very rough on them. The last few weeks even more so. But…I don't know if I'd ever seen them so happy in all of their lives. Pure euphoria managed to rear its head through sheer exhaustion, and it was such a special feeling. It was contagious, in fact. I felt bubbly and joyful all the time lately, and more than ever, I knew it was emanating from the young family that had just been created.

"Ash, Misty, would you two like desert?" I queried. I already knew what Ash's answer would be, but Misty's was a lot less clear. She normally loved to eat. Not as much as Ash, but she did have quite an affinity for food. And now it was more important than ever. Of course, she _was_ tired, and I wasn't going to force her to eat if she didn't want to.

"Yes!" Ash immediately cheered, picking his head up and beaming at me. "Misty, what about you?"

"Could I have just a little bit?" Misty asked timidly. "I'm not that hungry, but the babies…"

"Yes, your nutrients," I supplied helpfully with a light giggle. "You're a very good mother, Misty. I'll give you just enough."

"Thank you, Delia," Misty thanked me with the most fervor I'd heard out of her in days. She still sounded bogged down with exhaustion, however, and I also knew she was currently enamored with watching her son nurse. It was a feeling I myself had experienced before, and had been so fascinated and enthralled by.

Normally, I would ask Ash for help. Tell him to stop lying on the floor and marveling at his beautiful wife. But now, in this moment, I couldn't bear myself to do it. He wasn't just staring at Misty, and admiring her beauty.

Now, he was also gazing in awe at his son. His child. Ash was going through the same thing I had gone through some 21 years ago.

With him.

"I'll go fetch desert," I whispered, smiling at their backs as I turned around and headed for the kitchen. On the way there, I passed the still occupied basinet, and couldn't help but to peer inside, where my little granddaughter was still fast asleep, completely unaffected by her busy mother, father, and brother a few feet away on the floor. Upon further examination, I realized that her breathing had become gentler since the last time I'd looked at her. Her face, so pink and healthy looking…peaceful and happy.

"My beautiful little girl…you have all of my love. You and your brother. And your mother…and your father. You're my family. My whole entire world."

In her sleep, Michelle mumbled happily, and her lips curved upwards into a meek, barely-there smile. But it was enough for me. I looked back up from her over to her parents, who had not moved a single inch from their comfortable spot in front of the fireplace.

And for the first time in a long time, since before Ash had first left on his journey…

I felt at peace.

* * *

**Delia is obviously very family oriented, and that's the feel I was trying to get from this one shot. Basically, she hasn't felt this happy since before Ash left on his Pokémon journey, because she was always living in fear that something would happen to him. But now, they're all under her roof, and they're safe :)**

**This was fun to write, especially considering it was from a mother's perspective, which I obviously don't have ^^ I hope you all enjoyed it as well!**


End file.
